Battery.



W. E. WINSHIP.

BATTERY. APPLICATION rum) JAN. 24, 1911.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914 wizzz g canran STATES j in-memes.

wan'rmt E. wrnsnrr, or New 20121:, n. Y; Assroison. r ems aromas Burma!COMPANY, A conrona'rrou or maw romr.

BATTERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application and January 24}, 1911. Serial at. 604,316.

To all whom it mau concern:

' Be it known that I, Wanna E. Wmsmr,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, countyand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Batteries, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in.

electrical batteries or cells and more especially to improvements forprotecting the lead linings of storage battery cells from corrosion dueto chemical or electrolytic action.

It is quite customary to provide storage batter cells comprising a woodtank with a lead lining" the tank of course containing the electrolyteand positive and ne ative elements. In such cases it has been ound thatthe wood of the tank becomes more or less saturated with the acid of theelectrolyte because of the acid spray given oil by the electrolyte andthe supporting; means of the cells also becomes more or ess conductivedue to the deposition of acid or moisture. Thus, due to this or otherleakage causes a more or less conductive path la forms from the liningof one cell as a positive electrode to the lining of a cell which is atlower potential in the series, as a negative electrode of a couple. Thecurrent passing over such paths will radually corrode the lead linings,due to t e electrolytic action. The same corroding action may also atake place in a single cell itself without the presence of other cellslower in series with it. Thisis due to contact of the lead lining withthe acid absorbed b the wood of the tank which penetrates c ear to thelead lining. This action is like or similar to that when a piece of leadis immersed in sulfuric acid.

One object of, my invention is o avoid the above corrosive action uponsuch linings or coatings. v

A further object of my invention is, while preventing leakage currentsas much as ossible, to provide an arrangement whic is simple and easy ofconstruction and economical in construction and operation.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly a pear fromthe detail description given be ow-taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification, andwhich represents a section through a series of stordia ammatically.

Q age battery cells embodying my invention 1n one form, certain featuresbeingshown eferring to the drawin are three storage battery 00 lsconnected in electrical series. Each cell comprises a wooden tank 1supported by petticoat glass insulators 2, the insulators 2 beingsupported by wood strin ers 3 which are an ported upon ieces o vitrifiedbrickor ti o Each tan 1 has a lead lini 5. The positive and negativeplates 6 an 7 reaped tively, which form the rgositive and negativeelements of the cells a lates 8. The positive plates 6 are separated romthenegative plates 7 by sheets 9 of ,maando supported by glass a woodveneer su ported between the plates by slotted dowe s 10. The plates aresuita ly connectedby bus bars 11, Qver each of the insulators 2 andbetweenthe insulators and the bottom of the tank 1, I place small sheetsof lead 12. These sheets of lead are placed on the outside surface ofthe cell and on the supports of each cell, so that they in turn sup ortthe cell. These sheets are connected e ectrically to the positive'tcrminal or element ,of that cellby means ofwires 13 and the leadlining ll of each cell is electrically connected to the negative bus orelement of the cell by means of a wireor connector 14.

The wood tank, partially saturated with the sulfuric acid forms anelectrolyte of a couple consistin electrodes 12 an the tank lining 5.Under these conditions there is a tendency for current to flow from thelead cushions 12, which form ,an electrode on the outside of the tank 1,to the tank lining or container 5, s but both of these becomeimmediately larized, so that only an extremely smal current flowsbetween the two. a

If the difi'erence of metal and an electro yte (such as would otherwisecorrode the metal) exceeds a. oer tain value in thenegative direction,the metal will no 1011 r be corroded. Thus if lead be immersed in adilute solution of sulfuric acid it will not be attacked by the sulfuricacid if polarized negatively. However, lead is ordinarily corroded toonly a microscopic depth if it is immersed in sulfuric acid, as itssurface becomes coated with an insoluble protective layer of leadsulfate, and the corrosion does not proceed of the lead cushions orotential between any further unless there is either a different acidpresent such as would form a soluble lead salt; or unless the lead ispolarized posi tively; and in the latter case only under the conditionthat the difference of potential between the lead and the solutionisbelow a certain critical value. If the difference of potential exceedsthis value the layer of lead sulfate is converted into lead peroxid andthis forms a protective layer and prevents further corrosion. Thus, asabove pointed out, any current whlch would flow from the lead electrodes12 to the tank lining 5 would cause both of these to become immediately15 polarized and the lead caps or electrodes 12 roslon that would takeplace. The tank lining 12 being kept negative with reference to theelectrolyte permeating the wood tank, it will not be subject to theordinary chemical corrosion, neither will it be subject to corrosion byelectrolysis as it is polarized negatively or'in.the o posite directionfortli'is to be possible. here may be small leakage currents from thelead caps 12 over the moist surfaces of the glass insulators 2 throughthe stringers 3 or ground from cell to cell, but any such leakage wouldbe very small or negligible in comparison to that which would flowbetween the metallic electrodes l2 and the metallic tank lining 5 andthus would not work against the protection of the linings.

While I have described my improvements in great detail and \with respectto one particular form of battery cell, nevertheless I do not desire 'tobe limited to such details except as clearly pointed outin the appendedclaims.

Having thus clearly and fully described my invention, with respect toone particular embodiment thereof, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is: 1. A battery cell, comprising a woodtankhaving a lead lining, positive and negative plates in the tank, anegative and a positive terminal for the cell, insulators supportingsaid tank and electrodes situated between said insulatorsand the tank,said electrodes being connected [electrically to the positive terminalof the cell and. said lead lining being connected to the negativeterminal of the cell.

tween the insulating means and. the tanl,;

said electrode being electrically connected" to the positive element ofthe cell and said lead lining being electrically connected to thenegative element of the cell/ 3. A battery cell, comprising a tankhaving a lead'lining, positive and negative elements in the cell,insulating means supporting said tank and an electrode placed be tweenthe insulating means and the tank and means whereby said lead lining ispolarized negatively with respect to said electrode so that corrosion ofthe exterior of said lining is prevented.

4. A. battery cell, comprising a tank having a lead lining, positive andnegative elements in the cell, an electrode on the outside of the tankand acting as'the support for the tank, and means, whereby said leadlining is polarized negatively with respect to said electrode sothatcorrosion of the exterior of said lining is prevented.

5. A battery cell, comprising a tank having a metallic lining, anelectrode on the outside surface of the tank, and means whereby saidlining is polarized negatively with respect to said electrode so thatcorrosion of the exterior of said lining is prevented.

6. A battery cell embracing a tank having a porous structure,-a metalliclining for said tank, an electrode outside of and contacting with saidtank, and means whereby said lining is polarized negatively with respectto said electrode to prevent corrosion of the lining.

7. A battery cell, comprising a tank having a porous, structure, ametallic lining for said tank, negative and positive electrodes withinsaid cell, an electrode outside of and contacting with said tank, saidoutside electrode being connected electrically with the positiveterminal of the cell and said lining being. connected with the negativeterminal whereby corrosion of the lining is prevented. In testimonywhereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WALTER #E. VVINSHIP. .VVitnessesE GORHAM CRosnY, EDWIN SEGER.

